Net Neutrality

I’m not sure if you guys are aware, but there’s a House Resolution (H.R. 5252 [PDF]) which would allow major internet service providers (AT&T, Verizon, Comcast) to determine which sites you get to see. It passed the house and is now within the Senate, awaiting a scheduled vote on the issue. www.SaveTheInternet.com is actively tracking the issue, and has a list of senators who’ve announced their support for or against the concept of Net Neutrality, which the Resolution is currently threatening to do away with. SaveTheInternet.com is stating clearly that it’s nothing short of suppressing the First Amendment rights of all online users, in allowing those ISPs to prevent their customers to visit any sites not on their approved list (which anyone can buy their way onto) with legal backing from Congress.

In direct opposition to HR 5252 is the bipartisan bill S. 2917 (PDF) which would preserve those freedoms we’ve been enjoying so far. I’m really glad that both senators from California are in support of Net Neutrality, and I’ve sent Senator Boxer an email saying so just this morning.

If you can take a moment to do so, please contact your senators and let them know how you feel. Millions of dollars are being poured into lobbying against Net Neutrality by AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast, and the only way to outshout that kind of money is to keep hammering your senators until they realize that the lobby is so diametrically opposed to the will of the people. As we’re all bloggers, surely we don’t want all of this to become a complete waste of time, so we all have some sort of stake in this, right? In addition, this coud have long-term ramifications as former non-Internet mediums are now being delivered by broadband access, such as telephone and television access.

I’m giving anyone and everyone permission to link to this post so that people can read the text of both bills. We have to spread the word on this to as many people as possible.